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Caesar dressing celebrated its centennial last year, yet its popularity continues to soar. This beloved condiment, originating from a classic recipe, is featured in a variety of culinary creations ranging from traditional Caesar salads to innovative variations like Shilpa’s Black Garlic Caesar Salad. Fortunately, for those evenings when making dressing from scratch feels daunting, a plethora of bottled options are available in grocery stores. The only challenge lies in discerning which products truly elevate your meal.
The original Caesar dressing recipe is attributed to Cesare Cardini, who crafted it in 1924 at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. The dressing gained wider recognition in 1947 when the New York Times published its first recipe for Caesar salad, just prior to Cardini Foods trademarking the famous dressing.
Today’s marketplace offers a vast selection of Caesar dressings, including options that are shelf-stable or require refrigeration, creamy or vinaigrette-style, as well as traditional varieties featuring cheese and anchovies or modern vegan alternatives. Navigating this wide array can be daunting, but recent taste tests have focused on identifying the top contenders that deserve a place in your kitchen.
Selection Process for Dressing
To begin the search, the Bon Appétit team was consulted for their preferred brands. Many recommended Ken’s, Newman’s Own, and Briannas, with additional support for Marzetti and Girard’s. Compiling this feedback laid the groundwork for our preliminary list. We also examined other taste tests to ensure our selections represented a broad spectrum of well-known and perhaps lesser-known brands.
Our quest encompassed various dressing types — including both refrigerated and shelf-stable options, as well as both vegan and traditional recipes. However, Caesar dressings labeled as “vinaigrette” were excluded, such as those produced by California Olive Ranch, since they tend to have a thinner consistency compared to traditional creamy styles.
Taste Test Methodology
To conduct an unbiased taste test, we carefully poured equal amounts of each dressing into identical bowls marked by numbers. Tasters sampled each dressing individually and shared their impressions, which allowed us to narrow down the selection to our top eight. The final evaluation involved dipping freshly chopped romaine leaves into the dressings to replicate a traditional Caesar salad experience. In the end, we identified our top three Caesar dressings, along with an honorable mention.
Evaluation Criteria
The team agreed that an exceptional Caesar dressing must offer robust flavors. Key factors included a punch of garlic and pepper, a balance of acidity—either from lemon or vinegar—and the umami richness provided by aged cheese or anchovies, all supported by a creamy base. Importantly, the texture is also crucial; the ideal dressing should contain chunks of peppercorn or Parmesan, providing an engaging mouthfeel. Additionally, the consistency must be just right, allowing the dressing to coat the lettuce adequately without overwhelming it. We deducted points for overly thick or gloopy dressings, reinforcing our goal of selecting a dressing rather than a dip.
The Winning Choice: Marzetti Supreme Caesar Salad Dressing
Fans of Caesar dressing will appreciate this assessment, which highlights the strengths and particularities of widely available products to help elevate their salads.
Source
www.bonappetit.com